EADS Weighs Buyback to Counter Stake Sales

By

David Gauthier-Villars and

Daniel Michaels

Updated Nov. 30, 2012 12:07 p.m. ET

PARIS—Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. is considering buying up a large portion of its own shares as part of a planned restructuring of the aerospace giant's shareholder base, people familiar with the plan said.

The cash buyback is under consideration because EADS executives are concerned that planned transactions would depress the company's stock price. Two of the group's biggest shareholders, Daimler AG of...